Our Game is Never Over
by circularwaffles
Summary: What if in 'Fragile' after Lex and Chloe's confrontation, Chloe came back for round two and made the stakes more interesting? This story explores this idea. Potential Chlex!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Ever since the third season of Smallville I've always been routing for the Chloe/Lex alliance. Not to the point where they're skipping down the chapel isle to me that'd just be weird. I love the chemistry which could range from something as silly/serious as a slap fight to a bumper car war. I wrote this as an extra scene in '**Fragile**'. Beep! Beep! Make way for the Chelex train!

Okay, I have a few other things written that could potentially be a companion to this, Lana/Chloe confrontation, fleshing out more of the relationship between Chloe and her mother, only if this has decent reviews or I'll just keep it as a one shot. Sit back, relax, yes I still don't own Smallville or any of the following characters (except Tom) so enjoy!

_**Our Game is Never Over**_

Chloe was fuming as she stamped through the halls of the luscious Luthor Manor. How dare he insinuate that she had feelings towards Lana? How dare he comment on her obvious lack of a romantic commitment? How dare he smirk at her with an unshakable…?

"Screw it!" Chloe shouted, turned heel, and strode straight back towards the main office where she expected Lex was gloating in silent victory. Not if she could help it.

"Excuse me, Mr. Luthor, may I interrupt you one more time?" Chloe opened the door and noted one of the cracked panes that now adorned his entrance, most likely a result of her dramatic exit.

"Of course Ms. Sullivan, I didn't expect any less." Lex tossed a pool cue which Chloe caught with both hands." Unlike before, the amusement in Lex's eyes was doused with a dark caution to Chloe's sudden change of mood. "What are we playing for?"

"Answers," Chloe absentmindedly rubbed the pool cue with chalk and kicked off her shoes.

"On the record or off?" Lex's eyes flickered to Chloe's purse.

"No recording what so ever, just making shots and getting answers, nothing about Clark though." Chloe leaned over the pool table. "I call stripes." She lined up her shot and then with a crack, the game was on.

Lex was the first to get a ball in. "So I can ask you anything?"

"Fire away, just as long as you understand it goes both ways." Chloe braced herself for the emotional repercussions of his questions.

"Why do you pretend to be Lana's friend?" Lex lifted his glass of scotch and poised it at the curves of his lips, waiting for an answer.

"Why would you think that I'm…" Chloe swallowed a lump at the back of her throat. "I'm not pretending anything."

"That doesn't answer my question Chloe, I want real answers and you would say the same thing when it's your turn to ask questions."

Chloe walked over to Lex and pulled the scotch out of his fingers and sipped it carefully. "Tasty," She said quietly, and then looked him straight in the eye. "I'm not pretending to be her friend."

Lex scoffed and Chloe swatted him.

"No, really…" Chloe rubbed her forehead. "I think that for over four years, I might have been pretending, just not the way you think Lex. It's all about the awful Lana Lang and Clark Kent dance. The two of them keep dancing around one another, though as cautious as they are, they end up stamping on my heart. I kept pretending everything was okay and sometimes that was enough to keep me going, that way it wasn't as uncomfortable when we were all together. Somewhere along the line, I stopped pretending."

"When?"

"One ball, one question," Chloe lined up her shot and scored her turn. "Okay Mr. Luthor, why did you make it sound like I had more then friend related feelings towards Lana?"

"Well, that is an easy one." Lex smiled. "You come storming in, unannounced, accuse me of seducing your so called 'friend'" Lex raised his hand as Chloe opened her mouth to protest. "So I traded one ridiculous accusation for another."

"It wasn't an accusation—"

"You didn't ask, you just assumed that I was going to pursue and ravage your innocent Lana, threaten me before I have the chance to dissuade—"

"But I saw you!" Chloe blurted. "If it was any hotter in that room…"

"I assure you, I wasn't about to take advantage of Lana at that very moment," Lex raised his hand as Chloe was about to protest once more. "Yes, the potential to take advantage of that moment was there, but haven't you ever been faced with a situation that could be construed as a high… tension around what is usually you consider a friendly situation?" Lex raised an eyebrow.

Chloe flushed. "Okay, I understand what you mean. Can we just move on with the game now?"

Lex lined up his shot and knocked two balls in. "As I was saying before, when did you stop 'pretending' to be Lana's friend? I find it hard to believe you would come hurtling over here, three hours away from campus, to have a one on one with a scary billionaire in the defense of Lana Lang."

Chloe scowled at his smirk. "You make it sound like I twisted this major plot to reel in Lana as 'my precious' to just snarl at you."

"I had two balls in the pocket," Lex started.

"Bet you wish you could say that about your pants." Chloe half whispered.

"I want an answer Chloe, you made the rules so play fair by them." Lex took another sip of his scotch.

"I came here because I promised I would have dinner with my dad before he goes on a two week business trip." Chloe started, not willing to allow Lex intimidate her. "Whether it was here and now or in a few days when I could find you wandering the streets of Metropolis we were going to have this confrontation."

"Don't flatter yourself," Lex snickered. "I found our little disagreement barely on the scale of a small fledged squabble I used to get myself into boarding school. You still haven't answered the question." Lex offered his scotch to Chloe. "Care for some _courage_ my dear lion?"

"I didn't realize, well, I wasn't completely aware that I actually cared sincerely about Lana on an actually friendship level until Clark…" Chloe glared at Lex.

"Ah, yes, the 'no Clark' rule, how about we call him 'farm boy' and carry on." Lex swirled his scotch.

"No, it was more that she had been crushed, by the same boy who had time and again broken my heart. Lana perfect Lang comes along, almost always making me feel sorry for her or annoyed that she just can't get over her past. It was like I was obligated to understand her." Chloe's eyes searched Lex's face for any trace of ridicule. When there was none to be found, she continued on guardedly. "You have to understand there are very few things Lana and I have in common. We had something so real and near to the heart to share with one another. When I saw you coming onto her—"

Lex opened his mouth to protest; Chloe poked him with the pool cue and smiled.

"You said you wanted a good answer and you'll get one." Chloe smiled.

"Just hurry up." Lex refilled his scotch. "I've got places to go, very important people to see, it's what billionaires do you know.

Chloe rolled her eyes and for the first time in months, smiled in Lex's study. "It just felt almost like you were taking advantage of me as well as her. My defense of Lana was not an obligation, it was instinct. I wanted to protect my friend and myself."

"Ah, now that's an interesting answer." Lex teased.

"Look Lex, if you have such important thing to do, I'll go." Chloe began to feel all of her raging conviction that Lex Luthor was a plague to the world was dying away. She needed to leave, her anger, and she couldn't let her feelings of the Lex she once believed she knew get in the way.

"Or I could just wait another five minutes for you to storm back in another theatrical tantrum." Lex set his brimming glass on his desk then leaned over the table, pool cue in hand, ready to take his next shot.

"It was my turn." Chloe reminded him, her annoyance starting to rise once more.

"I thought you were leaving." Lex grinned infuriatingly at her.

Inspiration struck Chloe with a cruel remark. "Lex, were you neutered any time recently?" Chloe asked innocently.

Lex scratched the table then straightened up to frown at Chloe. "Whatever happened to 'Mr. Luthor' Chloe?"

"I'm serious," Chloe started to step closer to Lex. "For years it's been obvious your fascination with Lana has been getting kicked into tunnel vision and it's like you can't see anything else in the world." Chloe imitated Lex's smirk. "You're like a love sick puppy, I almost expect her to smack you on the nose with a newspaper for making mess."

"Chloe, I though you're forgetting the rules of the game—"

Chloe snorted. "Right, the 'rules' of this game are garbage Lex. You like rules don't you? You like to find out what they are and break them." She now had two feet between them. "You go through all of this work to make it look like you don't want to be caught, but then why do you just let us just barge right on into your home?"

"By 'us' I suppose you mean Clark and yourself." Lex was starring at Chloe with a cold intensity. "You want to talk to me about what does and doesn't make a real friend?"

"What is it about two college freshmen that you get off of our disagreements? You could entertain royalty and instead you pick petty fights with a few hicks from Smallville, why?" Chloe was on a role and right now she couldn't have cared less about the repercussions.

"I believe there should be a penalty for breaking the rules of the game Chloe." Lex said mildly, if Lex didn't know Chloe so well, he was pretty sure she was almost ready to throw one of the pool balls at his head.

"Why, do you want to put me in time out?" Chloe snapped, she tossed her pool cue unto the table. "I'm done playing your games." She stormed out of the open door, refusing to slam them behind her. This time it felt like she won.

"That's where you are wrong Ms. Sullivan," Lex informed the empty room, lining up his shot and then knocked a ball off her pool cue and into the pocket. "Our game is never over."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you Kit Merlot and Cousin for taking the time to review! I do have a real reason for not posting sooner. Lightening hit our (meaning my parents home, I'm just living in it for now) house and fried our television and internet modem. The microwave is a bit wonky, but other then that, everything is fine and I'm back online. As a reward for patience, here's the next chapter!

Spoilers for Tomb, Hypnotic, Void, and Fragile in season five.

_**Chapter Two**_

Chloe Sullivan stared at the outside of her dorm room tentatively. The last time she and Lana had exchanged words, they hadn't exactly parted with a hug and kiss. She had spent the night in Smallville after a pleasant dinner with her father and then dragged herself to work for a few hours overtime at The Daily Planet. All actions she had dragged out as long as possible in hopes of evading the unavoidable discussion.

"Hey Chloe, did you get locked out?" Tom, her dorm neighbor inquired as he walked up behind her. His bare feet sauntered lazily toward her.

"Uh, no, just roommate drama." Chloe smiled. Her eyes examined how his partially damp blonde hair spiked. "Just get out of the shower?"

"Yeah, just got back from a crazy party and wanted to clear my head a bit before I passed out for a few hours." Tom's face lit up and he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "There's always more room in my room, just incase you're…" He grinned, a mild gap between his teeth peeked at her from within his perfect lips. "Interested in a little bit of fun?"

"Maybe another time Tom," Chloe chuckled, going out on a casual date or two with the guy was admittedly entertaining. However, she wasn't about to do anything even remotely risqué unless the boy got tested first. "Besides, I thought your lady of the hour was Angie?"

On-cue, a tall, slim redhead poked her head out of Tom's dorm room. "Tommy, come on, I'm waiting for you." She eyed up Chloe with a possessive skepticism. "I thought I told you I wasn't into threesomes."

"Goodnight Tom," Chloe turned away before Tom could begin negotiating terms with Angie. Just a regular night on campus, snickering, Chloe shook her head and finally swiped her student ID to her dorm door and slid in. Not willing to risk turning on a light, Chloe took a few steps, tripped over something soft and solid, before plunging forward.

"Ouch!" The lights immediately come back on. Lana, who was sitting cross-legged by the door, was now standing by the nearest lamp.

"What were you doing sitting by the door?" Chloe swore as her palm had a scrape on it. "Aren't you supposed to be, I don't know, sleeping in your bed?"

Lana starred at Chloe through damp and mildly swollen eyes as if she was a stranger.

"Lana," Chloe's protective instincts finally kicked in. "What happened to you Lana, are you okay?"

"Chloe," Lana bit her lip and blinked dramatically at Chloe. "I kissed Lex."

Chloe felt like she had been punched. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

Lana's eyes drifted out of focus. "I went over to Lex's house, and after we both concluded like adults that we were only friends, I kissed him. I kissed Lex Luthor _twice_."

"Lana…" Chloe felt the room churn somewhat before she began feeling years of her resentment overtake her. "Why did you tell me this?"

"Because you are my best friend," Lana laughed deliberately, it was pointed, forced and rang false. "Actually, other then Lex I'm pretty sure that you are my only real friend."

"Shut up." Chloe said sharply she could start feeling her fury blocking access to the personal restraint she could usually rely on.

"Chloe…?" Now it was Lana's turn to look uncomfortable.

"How… I can't even…" Chloe sputtered. "God, how could you?" She threw down her purse.

"I don't understand." Lana's eyes started to fill with tears. "I thought that you of all people could—"

"No Lana, this time I can't." Chloe snapped. "I can't believe you told me this!" She stood right back up and started pacing. "I defended you to that shiny bastard, I had you come around and bite my head off right _after_ I told you that it would be okay if you…" Chloe breathed. "I was wrong, I was so wrong, I can't keep a secret from Clark you KNOW that!" Chloe's voice started getting louder and there was nothing she could do to control her volume. "I can't do this anymore, I can't watch you purposely hurt Clark, I won't let you hurt me, and I hope you and Lex are happy."

"Chloe, please," Lana pleaded, grabbing Chloe's hand. "I need you to—"

"No Lana, I can personally say you damn well don't need me, you want what I can't give you. You've used your last quarter on your vending machine of forgiveness and right now I can't even bring myself to stay in the same room as you." Chloe spat. "Have fun destroying Lex, because he's all you have left." With that, Chloe's head still spinning, she slammed the door and stamped out.

Lana's hand groped for her cell phone and she pressed the number she could probably recite backwards. "Lex?"

"Lana, is everything alright?" Lex's voice was muzzy but readily getting clearer.

"It's Chloe, we had a huge argument, and I'm fine." Lana said quickly, irritated that the tears pooling down her face didn't have an off switch. "I'm just worried at what Chloe is going to do."

"Look, Lana, I'm sure that whatever argument that you had about Clark will be resolved within a few days." Lex's voice sounded increasingly tired.

"Lex, we weren't arguing about Clark, I told her about how you and I…" Lana trailed off, hating how childish she sounded; they had been avoiding the subject for the past few days. "How you and I had kissed, I just wanted someone to confide in and I had no idea that she would take it so badly." Lana's tone was getting increasingly defensive as a little voice in the back of her head told her she knew exactly how Chloe would have reacted. "I don't think she wants to be anywhere around Clark because then she would have to tell him why she's upset."

"Where do you think she would go?" Lex's voice had regained an alert, business tone.

"Her father is currently across country trying to find another job." Lana suddenly felt a foreign wrench of guilt she quickly pushed down hoping it would just stay anchored there. "It's a long shot, but she might have gone to see her mother."

Nothing but silence filled the space between her cell phone and Lana's ear. Suddenly, for the first time in weeks, Lana felt very alone as Lex took his sweet time to answer.

Chloe was furious. No, she was beyond that, to her annoyance, the energy burst she had gained from her confrontation with Lana was starting to ebb away. She strode frantically to the nearest bus stop and sat. What made her even angrier was the fact she had left her purse in fit of self-righteous rage. Now she was just tired, and she had no bus money to go see her mother.

An elderly lady sat besides Chloe on the bus bench and began fussing with her little, bug eyed dog tucked into her oversized purse. The gems reminded her eerily of the one Simone had tied around her neck. Chloe's mind unwillingly took her to an event she had been trying so hard to forget.

The shot was fired and Chloe's hands were still clutched tightly around Lex Luthor's fingers. With a faint moan Simone fell spread-eagle onto her back, blood beginning to pool out of her chest.

Chloe starred at what she had down wide-eyed with horror. Twice she had shot someone, in the same year she had shot two people.

Clark's cries of pain were getting weaker.

Lex continued to stare at the collapsed body of Simone, trying to register what had happened in the last few moments.

Snapping out of her daze, Chloe rushed toward Clark, taking advantage of Lex's rare shock, and yanked the meteor rock out. With the kryptonite in her hand she chucked it down the hall and returned her attention to Clark. "Are you alright Clark?"

Clark stood up shakily and barely registered Chloe dusting some of the broken glass off his jacket. "I think so." He muttered, his eyes falling onto Simone's fallen body.

Lex's eyes refocused onto Chloe and Clark.

"Oh god, Lex, you have to call 911." Chloe rushed forward, yanking off her scarf and applying it to the wound on Simone's chest. "She's still breathing, we have to get an ambulance here."

"Lex, where… what is… Chloe?" Clark's memory started piecing together the most recent events. "Are you okay?" He uneasily asked Lex, realizing that tossing the billionaire across the room like a rejected toy was not an everyday occurrence in the Luthor mansion.

"Twice," Chloe's stomach clenched tightly. "It's happened twice." The look of surprise and hurt on Gabriel Duncan's face as the shot fired off and his blood hit the window behind him.

Lex already had his cell phone to his eardrum. "I'll be fine," Lex turned his face away from Chloe and Clark so he could wince without either of them seeing him weakened. "Yes, I need a medical unit here immediately, I have a twenty year old female who is in need to assistance, and she has a single gunshot wound to the chest."

"Guys," Chloe's eyes started to get burry. "I think the two of you should get over here, it doesn't look like she's breathing."

Clark rushed over and gasped. "Chloe, you look like you're about to—"

Whatever Clark had to say never met Chloe's ears as her body chose that moment to pass out.

Chloe was warm, too warm, grimacing; she cracked a heavy eyelid and then blinked in confusion. Where was she again?

"I know you're awake." Lex Luthor's voice lashed through her groggy mind. "You don't have to get up or anything but it'd be childish to pretend you're still asleep."

"Lex, why is it so hot in here?" Chloe's tongue felt almost foreign in her mouth as she tried to regain her ability to speak.

"Clark insisted you had the couch closest to the fire to keep you warm and ignored me when I said it gets alarmingly hot when seated in for extended amounts of time."

Chloe turned her head and forced her eyes to use Lex's face as a point of focus. "Where is Clark?" The light within the room was brighter then before. Her stomach twisted when she felt like she was abandoned at the hospital in the middle of the Yukon, only having Lex to save her of all people.

"While you were unconscious, Simone had gone into shock and stopped breathing." Lex rubbed the back of his head in frustration. "Clark and I took turns doing CPR but by the time my med-team finally came to help her—"

Chloe examined the faint worry lines that were highlighted by the fire on Lex Luthor's exhausted face.

"Is she dead?" Chloe managed, trying to swallow the bile that was trying to work its way out of her throat.

"Shortly after she stopped breathing, her heart stopped functioning. The medic that pried Clark off of Simone informed him that even if she had survived, she would have massive brain trauma."

Chloe turned away from Lex, wishing she could just vanish in the uncomfortable couch she had been dumped on.

"It wasn't your fault," Lex continued mildly, as if he was merely discussing a possible rearrangement in furniture. "If you hadn't of stopped me I would have shot you and then myself."

"I really hate myself." She wrapped her arms tightly around herself instinctively, intuitively loathing that Lex was seeing her so weak. "Next time, I'm just going to let whatever happens, happen." Next time, Chloe was just going to let the bullet take her.

"You saved my life," Lex's voice continued. "You cannot deny that eventually, she would have probably hurt Clark when he no longer served a purpose. Do you really believe that Clark character would allow his morals to stay suppressed forever?"

Chloe felt Lex's hand placed on her shoulder. Before she could stop herself, she grabbed Lex's hand and pushed it off. The long sleeve of her jacket slid back and presented the horizontal scar she had been trying so hard to hide.

"How are they…" Lex gestured to the exposed wrist. "Healing?"

"They are healing just fine, but the doctors say that the scar is always supposed to be there." She stared at Lex, nothing was comforting about the hand he had touched her with, nor was the question he asked with reliable concern. Still, for some reason Chloe didn't want to examine to closely, it helped. "To be honest, I'm still more freaked out at the fact you had the gun pointed at me then anything else."

"I didn't get the chance to thank you for stopping me." Lex continued, his voice sounding tired and rehearsed.

"To be honest Lex, I just want to forget this ever happened." Chloe sighed, not interested in what bizarrely elaborate display of gratitude the Luther may have in store. It had been a long day and all she wanted to do was go home.

"Chloe?" Clark's puzzled face peaked in from the doorway.

"Where did you go?" Chloe's need to get away from the Luthor mansion became the most desirable activity.

"I had to go check up on Lois and my mother." Clark cast a suspicious look at Lex. "If you want, you can leave now."

Chloe rolled over and stood on her shaky legs. "Yeah, I think I'd like to go home and see my Dad now."

Lex reluctantly watched Chloe and Clark's retreating backs.

Chloe hesitated at the entry way and looked back.

"Are you coming Chloe?" Clark called from down the hall.

"Just, wait for me by the truck, please?" Chloe looked at Lex. "Thanks."

"For what?" Lex commented vaguely, his eyes assessing the shattered glass that still covered the floor of his office.

"What you said, it's not much, but genuine gratitude is the best thing you could ever give me. Chloe left the room, leaving Lex alone allowing her mind to add, 'In your own way, you may have saved my life.'


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N: _**Thank you Chlark4ever92 and Kit Merlot for the wonderful reviews. Any feedback ever is always deeply appreciated. Now, what you've all been waiting for!

_**Chapter Three**_

"Are you alright young lady?" A woman's voice cut through Chloe's memories.

"I'm sorry, yes, I'm fine." Chloe's lips twisted into a somewhat passable smile. "The stones on your purse just reminded me of something I've recently gone through and I guess I may have spaced out there a little."

"Oh, that's nice; my daughter's husband gave it to me for Christmas." The elder lady patted her crammed dog absently. "If I wasn't going to visit them now I'd have my other purse, George means well but his taste in women's accessories…" She trailed off and waved her hand at her furry companion. "Even my dog Fredrick, if you believe animals are any good judge, doesn't seem to like it." She dug into her pocket and offered Fredrick a crumbly biscuit treat.

"I know what you mean; Clark has a flare for flannel so it's obvious when he lets his mother choose a gift for me." Chloe smirked as she recalled the bright orange necklace with a bright red sunflower in the middle Clark had presented to her during Christmas in the 8th grade. He had also bought a scraggly arrangement of flowers from Nell's flower shop that she had pressed and dried into one of her old diaries. It was the thought that mattered.

"Is Clark your suitor?" The old woman asked mildly.

Chloe jerked in surprise. "No, Clark is just one of my friends."

The old woman looked at her thoughtfully, while stroking her dog. Fredrick had slumped in the ugly purse after he had finished munching his dog treat and was snoring audibly "Ah, I see, does he have anything to do with the fascination of the stones on my purse?"

"Clark isn't the heart of that situation, he was part of it, but there was no way that any of us could have had control over all of it." Chloe reasoned slowly, aware that sharing the details of Simone's untimely death may cramp the conversation.

"Is he the reason that you are sitting at this bus stop all by yourself?" The woman's enquiries were unnerving.

"No, he's not," Chloe caught herself, why was she babbling about her problems to a complete stranger? "You know what, I'm sorry." She stood up and brushed off imaginary dirt.

The bus pulled up behind her, like a mechanical godsend, and the old lady stood up as well.

"I'm sure what ever it is that's troubling you will work itself out in the end." The elderly lady patted Chloe on the arm in a reassuring way that only grandparents can do. "Just be sure to ask yourself one question before you go through anymore trouble." She lifted her purse, Fredrick snoring and all. "How long has it been since he's really made you happy and is it worth it?"

The bus doors opened and the lady climbed on. Leaving Chloe alone with her thoughts, with a problem she had been trying not to address for quite some time.

As the bus pulled away, a limo pulled up behind it and a very recognizable man got out. "Would you mind if I join you?" Lex slammed the door behind him and waved his driver off.

"Did Lana send you on a little reconnaissance mission?" Chloe felt the anger that had left her earlier start to rebuild and wished she had her taser on her. Lex's white knight routine was something she my have bought in high school, time had taught her to see beyond the armor and what she saw unnerved Chloe.

"She's worried about you Chloe," Even though his clothing was expensive and unwrinkled as ever it was still obvious he wasn't as sharp as Chloe was used to. "Despite whatever disagreement the two of you had, she is your friend and happens to care for your safety."

"Lex, if she was so concerned, then where the hell is she?" Chloe snapped. "Clearly, if my well being was such a priority in her life, why are you here instead of her?"

"Even you must realize that you're in no condition to hear or reason with her." Lex leaned against the bus stations booth. "Tell me with a straight face that you don't feel like pushing her into traffic right now and I'll leave you alone."

Chloe's mouth worked and nothing came out.

"Gosh Chloe," Lex drawled. "Where are all of your unfaltering declarations of conviction now?"

"I wouldn't push her in front of a bus," Chloe finally relented aloud. "Though I wouldn't be about to resist giving her a shove into those 'Smart Car's' that she bragged about driving in France."

"I would strongly recommend against pursuing that kind of thoughtless action." A ghost of a grin twisted on Lex's face before he straightened slightly and stepped closer to Chloe.

"What makes you so sure that you're safe from the same fate?" Chloe circled him, feeling a vague sense of déjà vu.

"'The man who strikes first admits that his ideas have given out'." Lex quoted the Chinese proverb blandly. "From the little I do know about you Ms. Sullivan, I understand you do not take actions of violent lightly, and only pursue it when no other alternative presents itself. Besides, I doubt that you would give into something so tactless and unoriginal but I could always be wrong."

"You know what, you're the last person I want to talk about in regards to Lana, you are one of the many reasons I'm feeling so…" Chloe tugged her heart shaped dangly earring but couldn't think of the word and her stomach growled during her contemplation.

"Hungry?" Lex suggested.

Chloe glowered. "Yes, on top of that I feel frustrated, fed up, disturbed, annoyed, exasperated and—" She stifled a yawn.

"Grumpy? Sleepy? Tell me when I'm getting warm Chloe." Lex's wit and control of the conversation was gaining in his favor.

"**_Worn_**," Chloe sighed, the last thing she had been anticipating was a grilling chit chat with Lex Luthor. It had been too long since she had last slept in a bed, couch, or placed her head upon her desk in the Daily Planet for a few moments of shut eye. Her stomach kept reminding she hadn't anything to eat since her father's goodbye dinner. "I thought I was going to go see someone," No way she was going to share with Lex that her original intention was to go see her mother. "The only thing I can think of is walking back to the Daily Planet, picking up my car and driving back to Smallville."

"I'll drive." Lex said easily.

Chloe looked at him distrustfully; Lex's newfound Boy Scout attitude was making her uncomfortable.

"Not all of the way to Smallville, my and driver can take you to the parking lot. Whatever you decide to do from that point on is your business." Lex placed a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "Please, Lana said Clark's called your cell phone three times already, the least I can do is subdue both of their concerns."

"You'll take me to the parking lot?" Through Chloe's increasingly blurring eyes, she saw true apprehension within Lex Luthor's eyes.

Lex nodded and opened the limo door.

Chloe suspiciously eyed the limo before crawling in and letting out a breath of relief at the cushioned leather interior. Against her will, her eyes started to drift shut.

"Chloe?" Lex had crawled in after her and closed the door behind him.

"I'm just closing my eyes for a second, that's all." Chloe's head started to droop as her eyelids shut.

"You're sure all you are going to do is close your eyes for a bit?" Lex's voice was light and skeptical.

"Yes, that's all I'm doing." Her words were slurred and Chloe's cheek rested on something soft and solid. Had she been more awake she would've realized her head was resting on Lex Luthor's shoulder.

Lex's next words were a quiet, indistinct stream of words.

Later, she would be kicking herself for not paying closer attention, she had just agreed to whatever it was Lex mumbled. Years of experience with Lex would've set off her internal alarms that Lex never mumbles, everything he says always had direction, a reason, and it was a game. A game that Chloe and Lex had constructed rules for then broken repeatedly until the game was so battered the only thing left to do was begin again with a fresh start. If Chloe had known what was to come next as she may have never allowed herself to drift.

* * *

Thirsty.

Chloe's mind slowly began it's ascension from the murky depths of sleep. Her cheek was rubbing against soft leather… Leather?

She jumped up and then knocked her head on the limo's low ceiling. "Ow, I should've seen that coming." Chloe muttered, rubbing her head. To her surprise, her purse was placed strategically at her feet with a note attached. She picked it up and read the brief message.

'**Chloe-**

**While you were out, Lana stopped by to drop off your purse. She told me not to bother waking you for her since she doubted that you wanted to see her**—'

Chloe snorted, that was an understatement. Personally she'd rather go three rounds in a boxing ring with a genuine meteor freak over taking to Lana. Shaking her head, she continued reading.

'**Clark also stopped by to make sure I wasn't trying to hold you against your will. After gawking at you for three minutes**—' (Chloe assumed Clark was using his X-Ray vision to make sure she wasn't harmed). **Our flannel friend seemed satisfied**.'

Chloe grinned, when she got home to Smallville Clark would be leading a question inquisition about why she was passed out in the back of Lex Luthor's company limo. Her smile faded, which meant at some point she was going to have to fess up to her best friend about Lana and Lex. She flipped the note over to read the last few words.

'**I had to go to work which is why you should wake up alone. Something tells me you wouldn't be comfortable with me leering over you while you're sleeping anyway**.'

Snorting, Chloe agreed with Lex, if she had woken up sprawled out to the infamous billionaire playboy, she would've punched him when she regained consciousness.

'**Make sure you have all of your stuff before you go, the limo will lock automatically when you close the door behind you**.

**_Lex_**'

Scanning the limo, Chloe deduced her purse was the only accessory she recalled having on her. Satisfied, she crawled out of the limo, ready to go home and forget this ever happened. Chloe located her car, climbed in, and drove into a throng of Metropolis city traffic.

In the back seat of Lex Luthor's limo, a heart shaped earring was snagged on the soft leather, waiting for someone to take it home.


End file.
